Process for preparing optically active 3-hydroxy furan compounds

摘要

A process for preparing optically active 3-hydroxy- gamma -butyrolactone or optically active 3-hydroxytetrahydrofuran through a short route and by using an easily available and inexpensive starting material and an inexpensive reagent easy to handle is disclosed. The process comprises cyclizing an optically active compound represented by formula (II): <CHEM> wherein Q represents an alkoxycarbonyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a hydroxymethyl group; X represents a halogen atom; and the asterisk * means an asymmetric carbon atom, under an acidic condition.